Door-controlling means



Aug. 5. 1924.

w. J. HoscErr" DOQR CONTROLLING MEANS Filed mm 19. 1922 Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

:WILLIAM PATENT OFFICE.

J. IIOSCEIT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO RODGER BALLAST CAR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

DOOR-CONTROLLING MEANS.

Application filed June 19, 1922. Serial No. 569,296.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. Hosonrr, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-Controlling Means, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to door con trolling means.

An object of the present invention is to provide door operating mechanism which is simple to construct and simple to operate,

. and which will securely hold the doors in closed position.

A further object is to provide door controlling means for dump cars which will operate with a wedging action to force said doors to closing position regardless of distortions that may occur due to stresses incurred in service.

A further object is to provide door controlling means for dump cars which will not only wedge the doors toward closed position regardless of distortions incurred in service, but will securely hold said doors in the positions to which they have been wedged.

Further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view illustrating part of the side of a dump car;

"Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 33 of Figure 1. The numeral 1 indicates the frame of a dump car, said dump car being provided 7 with swinging side doors, one of which is 40 indicated by the numeral 2. Several doors 2 are provided on each side of the dump car, each of said 'doors being hinged along a longitudinal axis whereby t0 normally swing to a vertical position to close the side of the car. The swinging doors 2 may be provided with battens 3-3, which may be secured to said doors 2 in any preferred way.

Mounted along the side of the car at a point below the lower extremity of the door 2 is the operating rod 4, which may be jouruelled in brackets 5-5, which brackets are mounted upon the frame 1 of the car. The operating rod 4 is provided at one or both of its ends with a socket 6 for receiving-an operating lever for exerting turning movewith the longitudinal slot 10 adapted to receive the pin 11. Said block 9 is constrained to move only in a vertical direction and is provided with a tapered face 12 adapted to cooperate with the lug 8.

When the doors 2 are closed, the parts will be in the positions shown in the drawing, wherein the block 9 lies with its tapered face 12 in wedging engagement with lug 8 of the operating rod 4. In this position the fingers 77, by reason of their engagement with the battens 33, securely hold the doors 2 against outward swinging movement, regardless of the load which may be urging said doors outwardly. When it is desired to open said doors, the block 9 may be struck with a sledge to drive same upwardly, thereby freeing said block from the lug 8 of operating rod 4. The doors 2 are now free to swing outwardly, and operating rod 4 will rotate by gravity to a position in which lug 8 lies below the vertical plane containing the axis of said rod 4. It will be clear, therefore, that a single blow upwardly against block 9 will be sufiicient to free the doors 2 for dumping functions. When it is desired to wedge thedoors to closing position, the operating rod 4 may be turned by application of ,a turning force to socket 6. At this time the block 9 will occupy its lowermost position and the 111 8 in its movement will engage the lower edge 13 of said block and raise said block. Fingers 77 will engage battens 33, and doors 2 will be moved, regardless of distortions, within limits, to closed position. The block 9 will move downwardly under the influence of force of gravity, the tapered face 12 thereof having wedging engagement with the lug 8 of operating rod 4. Each increment of turning movement of rod 4 will be' accompanied by an increment of movement downwardly of block 9, therefore preventing any accidental reverse movement of lug 8 and operating rod 4. The doors 2 will therefore be securely held in the positions to which they are moved by the operation of socket member 6 and rod 4, no slipping backward being possible.

One embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail. Many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is intended in this patent to cover all such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dump car having side swinging doors, an operating rod provided with means for forcing said doors to closed position, said operating rod being provided with abutment means, and a sliding wedge member cooperating with said abutment means to hold said abutmentmeans.

2. In combination, swinging doors, means for engaging the outer ends of said doors for moving same to closed position, an operating rod for said means, abutment means controlled by said rod, and gravity actuated means for holding said abutment means.

3. In combination, swinging doors, means for engaging the outer ends of said doors for moving same t closed position, an operating rod for said means, abutment means controlled by said rod, and gravity actuated means for holding said abutment means, said gravity actuated means having a portion adapted to be engaged by said abutment I means, said portion being so placed that said abutment means upon operation of said operating rod in a certain direction will raise said gravity actuated means against the influence of gravity.

4. A dump car having swinging doors, means for engaging said doors for moving same to closed position, an operating rod for said means, said operating rod being provided with abutment means, andv a gravity actuated, vertically sliding member having a tapered face adapted to engage with said abutment means to hold same in a predetermined position, said vertically sliding member having a lower surface adapted to be engaged by said abutment means whereby said abutment means may raise saidvertically sliding member.

5. Door closing and holding means comprising a vertically sliding member, and a rotatable abutment means, said vertically sliding member having a tapered face adapted to engage with said rotatable abutment means, said rotatable abutment means being adapted to engage with another part of said vertically sliding member for raising said member.

6. In combination, swinging doors, means for engaging the outer ends of said doors for moving same to closed position, an operating rod for said means, abutment means controlled by said rod, and gravity actuated wedging means for holding said abutment means.

7. A dump car having a swinging door, an operating rod occupying a position along the swinging edge of said door when said door is at or near its closed position, said operating rod being provided with operating fingers for engaging said door to force same to closed position, said operating rod being provided with an abutment member fixed relative thereto and a gravity responsive wedge member adapted to progressively move into holding engagement with said abutment member as said operating rod is turned to door closing position.

8. A dump car having a swinging door, an operating rod occupying a position alon the swinging edge of said door when said door is at or near its closed position, said operating rod being provided with operat ing fingers for engaging said door to force same to closed position, said operating rod being provided with an abutment member fixed relative thereto and a gravity responsive wedge member adapted to progressively move into holding engagement with said abutment member as said operating rod is turned to door closing position, said wedge member having another portion adapted to be engaged by said abut-ment member positioned so that said abutment member, on a turning movement of said operating rod may raise said wedge shaped member against the force of gravity.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 15 day of June, 1922. Y

WILLIAM J. HOSQ IT. 

